Saturday, 15 May 2021
Title: Light of The World
By: Chan Yew Thai
Christians are called to be light of the world – Matthew 5:14-16 (NIV)
The Sermon on The Mount teaches how believers are to live – now that they are in the kingdom (David Pawson). Matt 5:14-16 tells us that we are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put under a bowl. All these statements show that we are conspicuous and there is no mistaking it.
Light attracts all things such as insects, animals, and shows the way for human both good and bad. A city is a place where people live and gather, and its light can be seen miles away. Crimes and undesirable things happen in the town. Just as light attracts the good and the bad, the city houses Christians, non-believers, cheaters, criminals, and those who defraud others for a living. As such, we are reminded by Jesus that we will certainly be hurt at some point in our lives or even persecuted. However, this does not mean we should flee and hide (put our light under a bowl or cover our city with a fog).
As light cannot be dirtied, no matter how dirty the place that it shines may be, those who are of God (the light of the world) also cannot be soiled because they have been made pure by the Holy Spirit. Accordingly, the questions we should ask ourselves are:
- Am I allowing God to exhibit in my life the truth of these statements of Jesus Christ?
- Do I hunger and thirst for the lost souls that they too may know the truth?
- Am I being used by God to preserve and maintain the truth?
- Do I glow like lights for Christ, showing others what Christ is like through my good works, behaviour and actions (the fruit of the Spirit), and glorify God? (Galatians 5:22-23).
OR
Do we hide our light by? - Being quiet when we should speak.
- Going along with the crowd, being of the world and denying the light.
- Letting sin dim our light.
- Not explaining our light to others.
- Ignoring the needs of others.
Brothers and Sisters, be mindful to be a beacon of truth and not shut your light off from the rest of the world. Always glow for Jesus, through our actions, behaviours and speech that others may see the light in us and glorify God.
Prayer:
Dear Lord Jesus, thank You for purifying us by Your Holy Spirit. May You help us to be beacon of light to shine forth Your truth that others may be drawn to You and may know You. Help us consciously and intentionally not to hide the light in us. In Your mighty name we pray. Amen!
每曰靈糧
星期六 2021年5月15日
标題：世上的光
作者: 陳有娣姐妹
翻譯: 王靖端姐妹
马太福音5：14～16 — 基督徒被称为世上的光
登山寶訓教导信徒如何生活，因他們當時已经进入上帝的国度（大卫·鲍森）。马太福音 5：14～16告诉我们，我们是世上的光。城造在山上，是不能隐藏的。人点燈，也不放在斗底下。毫無疑問的，所有这些陈述都表明我们是令人注目的。
光吸引着所有的東西，例如昆虫、动物，并为人类的好与坏照亮了道路。城市是人们生活和聚集的地方， 在数英里之外，可以看到它的灯光。犯罪和惡行發生在城裡。就像光吸引了好的与坏的一样，这座城市也容纳了基督徒，非信徒，作弊者，罪犯以及以欺骗他人为生的人。因此，耶稣提醒我们，我们一定会在生命中的某个時刻，受到傷害甚至受到迫害。但是，这并不意味着我们应该逃避和隱藏（将光放在斗底下或用雾覆盖我们的城市）。
无论光照到的地方有多髒，光是不會變髒的，拥有上帝（世上的光）的人已被圣灵淨化，也不能被弄髒。因此，我們應該問自己的問題是：
- 我是否讓上帝在我的生命中，展顯耶稣基督上述的真理？
- 我是否渴求並渴望那些迷失的灵魂也能認識真理？
- 我是否被上帝使用來保存和维护真理？
- 我是否為基督发光？是否通过我的善行、行事為人（圣灵的果子）向别人展示基督的形像，并荣耀上帝？（加拉太书5：22-23）
又或者
我们藏着光？
- 当我们应该仗義直言时卻保持静默。
- 和世俗同流合污，拒絕光明。
- 让罪使我们的光變得昏暗。
- 不向他人解說我们的光。
- 忽略他人的需求。
弟兄姐妹們，请誠心地成为真理的燈塔，不要将自己的光和世界隔絕。通过我们的行为、举止和言语，總是為耶稣发光，使其他人可以看到我們里面的光，而荣耀上帝。
祷告：親愛的主耶稣，感谢祢用聖靈净化我們。愿祢帮助我们成为灯塔，綻放祢的真理，使他人會親近祢并认识祢。 帮助我們有意地、刻意地，不要把光隐藏在我们的里面。我们以祢大能之名祈祷。阿们！